This First of a #SharingwithWriters Series of Newsletter Recommendations

Dear Writers including Visitors and Subscribers:

 

In preparation for the release of the next book in my series of books for writers, I am going to begin a series of recommendations for others’ newsletters. I’m doing it because I have always sensed the power of newsletter even from times long before I started my own “just for writers” letter after I wrote my first book for publication. As I got busier, I dropped it and began to write columns for other writers newsletters. That put me in a unique position to see what works, what doesn’t, and to meet several writers who spearhead their own newsletters as well as many editors for the newsletters that come from organized groups (like my first recommendation below!)  I have known and worked with this group (recommendation below!) for at least two decades and asked its editor to write up a little into to it.  Disclosure: I have also been writing  “Vocabulary Habit” for it for at least two decades. Keep reading for how newsletters can benefit you--whether it’s your own or one you subscribe to. And watch for the eventual re-release of mine after I finish the book that is taking me an extraordinarily long time to write!

Here is the contribution from ISWG’s newsletter editor, Juneta Keyes:

"Writing can be lonely, but you are not by yourself.

"The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (ISWG) is a welcoming community where writers share their struggles, celebrate their victories, offer encouragement, and connect with others who understand the struggle and the joy of the writing life.

Members post on their blogs on the first Wednesday of every month, then visit and support fellow writers. Members can also submit book releases, writing news, and special moments for possible shout-outs in our monthly newsletter.

Whether you’re just beginning or have been writing for years, there’s a place for you here.

Come join us. Your experiences might be exactly what another writer needs to hear.  You can subscribe on this page:

And learn even more about the "IWSG Blog Hop" https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html.

MORE ABOUT TODAYS NEWSLETTER EDITOR CONTRIBUTOR

Juneta Key

Support Juneta Ko-Fi Give A Gift

Early Access Midlife Ghostwalker details here.
 website/ social media links
Author Services (suspended until better)

“You hand out hope like it is candy in your pocket." 
~The movie The Postman Kevin Costner.

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER 

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), is the winningest book in this series for writers. 

 Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). 

In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

PS: Thank you to Lois W. Stern, trusted blog associate from my #TheNewBookReview blog, for suggesting this series. Reminder, please feel free to send me one of your newsletters or favorite newsletters with “Newsletter Recommendation” in the subject line.  Address it it HoJoNews   @  AOL . com.  Eliminating the spaces. (-:   Include permission for me to quote from it, please.

Submit Now So 2026 Can Be Your Book’s North Street Book Prize Winner...

...and Great Reading from 2025’s list of category winners! (see below!). But before July 1, do one last, quick edit and submit your partner- or self-published book for this prestigious prize from Winning Writers.  I support them based on their ethics and the value-added benefits they offer all their contestants as well as their winners!

Carolyn’s Mom’s Motto: “You can’t win if you don’t try!” 

Sponsored by Winning Writers 

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Deadline: July 1 We're one week from the close of our twelfth annual North Street Book Prize. We'll award $23,500 in cash prizes for self-published and hybrid-published books, including a grand prize of $10,000. The ten top winners will enjoy bonus awards from our co-sponsors, and everyone who enters online can choose to receive feedback from our judges at no extra charge. Entry fee: $95. LEARN MORE AND SUBMIT Gallery of Our 2025 Winners Grand Prize Teresa Tennyson's speculative novel Five Years imagines humanity facing imminent extinction due to climate change and collapse of the ecosystem, symbolized by the extinction of bees. For the residents of one New England town, the existential question is whether they can face the end with dignity and mutual aid, or be swayed by a strongman who advocates survival of the fittest.   First Prize: Art Book The Endless Sphere of Time, edited by Kate Jordahl, has remarkable production values and international scope. This luxuriously bound book pairs Geir Jordahl's circular black-and-white images of liminal spaces in nature and architecture with short works by Norwegian modernist poet Rolf Jacobsen, in their original language alongside English translations by Roger Greenwald. First Prize: Children's Picture Book Katherine Lockwood's cheery and educational picture book My Body Beeps! Growing Up with Diabetes, illustrated by Olga Sall, features an active little girl named Katie who just wants to play hide-and-seek like her other friends, but she is worried about the sound of her glucose monitor giving her away. A pal with asthma helps her find humor and companionship in their differences. Playful in spirit, with vibrant illustrations, this book has appeal beyond those directly affected by its topic, as kids in this age group can easily relate to the push-pull of independence versus safety. First Prize: Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Ben Stubenberg's The Jamaican Bobsled Captain: Dudley "Tal" Stokes and the untold story of struggle, suffering, and redemption behind Cool Runnings is a book that makes us glad we expanded our Creative Nonfiction category to include narrative journalism and biography. A former US government worker, private pilot, and current magazine writer in his adopted home of Turks and Caicos Islands, Stubenberg is dedicated to chronicling the cultures and history of the Caribbean. First Prize: Genre Fiction Jessica Mann's ecological fantasy novel Uplift tells a story of interspecies cooperation through the coming-of-age journey of a Clark's Nutcracker, a bird of the high mountains of the American West and a member of the crow family. Breaking with her family's insular ways, Columbina learns about loss and legacy from creatures whose lifespans range from a season to centuries, and returns with fresh ideas to save their habitat. First Prize: Graphic Novel & Memoir Pumpkin Guts: The Hellbound Halloween, written and illustrated by Jacoby A. Matott, is a colorfully grotesque graphic novel that pays homage to teen slasher movies, with sassy characters who crack jokes about the tropes that they're reenacting. (The one Black teen, for instance, decides to nope out of the adventure early on, knowing that such movies treat the token minority sidekick as disposable!) First Prize: Mainstream/Literary Fiction Rashid Darden's literary novel A Peculiar Legacy lovingly portrays a tight-knit Black neighborhood in Washington, DC where a newly arrived gay couple and a Quaker matriarch do their best to mentor the local teenagers after one of the youths is murdered.       First Prize: Middle Grade Michael Wardner's middle-grade novel Kris Kringle and the Great Magic Swindle is a witty romp that will entertain both children and adults. Santa's elves have quit, and the Supreme Council of Sorcery, Witchcraft, and Tricks is about to revoke his magic license. But there's a bigger conspiracy afoot to steal all the magic in the world. With help from trolls, elves, the Easter Bunny, and Ms. Kringle in her airplane, our jolly friend discovers that dividing people into "naughty" and "nice" may be the root of the problem. First Prize: Poetry Kathleen Spivack's poetry chapbook Homage is comprised of tributes to guiding figures in her life as an artist, from cellist Pablo Casals and painter Gustav Klimt to poets Robert Frost and Elizabeth Bishop, as well as personal mentors and ancestors. This tightly conceived collection shows a mature poet's mastery of craft and insight. LEARN MORE AND SUBMIT Prefer to enter by mail? You may mail your entry and $95 fee to Winning Writers, Attn: North Street Book Prize, 351 Pleasant Street Suite B PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3998, USA. Send a check or money order drawn on a US bank, or enclose $95 in US currency. You may also send the fee via PayPal to adam@winningwriters.com. Please postmark your entry by July 1. Please note that feedback will only be provided for entries submitted online, and not those entries submitted by mail. If you would like us to return your book at the conclusion of the contest, please request this at the time of your entry and enclose an extra $10 for postage and handling.

© 2001-2026 Winning Writers. All rights reserved except for fair use. Winning Writers 351 Pleasant Street Suite B PMB 222 Northampton, MA 01060-3998 Unsubscribe | Change My Email Address | Help | Contact

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER 

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

An Idea from UPPAA Writers Group Every Writers Group Should Emulate

Dear SWWriters Visitors and Subscribers:

Heads Up!

Time to make yourself essential to whatever writers group is lucky enough to have you as a member.  By now, you. might know that I believe in borrowing from others--other industries, even ther authors as long as you credit their largess. This comes from a group I presented for them way back when Covid demanded that every event be done via Zoom and fell in love with them and their far- North peninsula  I knew so little about at the time.  So, naturally I get their newsletter announcing this amazing way for a writers’ group to serve its members!  Here is an excerpt from it explaining my enthusiasm: 

"MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA) is inviting authors to participate in its U.P. Libraries Program, a unique opportunity to place books directly into the hands of librarians attending the U.P. Regional Library Conference on September 21–22 in Marquette, Michigan.”

We all know how important it is to keep in touch with our local libraries, but that idea can easily be extended all while making closer friends of librarians (and serving their needs, while doing it! ) It comes from @Victor Volkman and I bet when you search the name, you’ll find him (and his newsletter?) a great addition to that information stream that keeps you marketing your own books.  

Sending summer hugs to you all.  I’ve been kind of out of it recently caretaking my husband and trying to keep up with writing duties--the latter with very limited success. 

Best,

Carolyn

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. 

 Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon .

Codewords Served Batman: They Can Serve Self-Publishers, Too

 

Code Words Served Batman: 
They Can Serve Self-Editors, Too 

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

This article is excerpted from the winningest book in my HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers. It’s from one of my daring departures, a little one-page essay on editing or…mmm…maybe a two-page diatribe like this one on an aspect of editing no one ever bothers to tell you. My publisher and I came up with the rather sedate title of “The Frugal Editor’s Extra, all twenty of them numbered sequentially. (This one is number six.) They get placed sporadically at the end of selected chapters. Come have some fun with me. 

 

The Frugal Editor’s Extra #6:
Code Words Served Batman: They Can Serve You Too

 

Using codes isn’t—strictly speaking—one of Word’s fancy schmancy editing tools. It is a handy tactic when you prefer not to tackle any of Word’s techy offerings. Codes let Word’s search power work for me when…well, here’s a deep dark secret: Sometimes my memory fails. If you occasionally have the same trouble, you won’t need to spend time researching the computer skills you once knew but have changed since the last time you used them or by asking all the knowledgeable people in your life about a word too arcane for a search engine to find with the synonyms and keywords you can recall. It works because our brains have a way of eventually remembering what we thought we forgot. Here’s how to use codes to designate an elusive word or concept:

·      Use a code name. Anything will do. Author JayCe Crawford couldn’t think of the name for an old-time restaurant called DuPar’s Deli in Glendale, California, a Los Angeles area community. She used Jerry’s as a temporary substitute every time she wanted to refer to the restaurant by name. When she finally remembered, she used the Find Function to replace Jerry’s with Dupar’s. One of the advantages to this method is that if you never recall the name and can’t find it in research, the name you’ve used as code might do just as well.

·      Instead of a code word, you might use a series of XXXs. I prefer this method because it’s easy to see three capital Xs, even without any help from the computer’s find function. It’s also easy to run a Find on three Xs. Your computer won’t waste much if any time landing on possible fixes…even some you don’t need.

·      Of course, the easiest method is to ask your husband…or the girl sitting next to you at Starbucks. One question can save you a whole lot of time. Another advantage: A new friend might turn out to be a fellow writer or avid reader. I’ve found lots of new friends with similar interests this way. Ice cream counters. Even the prescription lines at Rite-Aid.

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER 

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers.  

Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. 

She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). 

Learn more and follow this Amazon Author Page to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.

Free Gifts with Book Contest Submissions

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All North Street Book Prize Contestants Receive Free Gifts Deadline: June 30, 2023 We appreciate that the $75 entry fee is a significant investment for your self-published or hybrid-published book, so we have arranged for our four contest co-sponsors to give free gifts to everycontestant on entering. The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (PDF) Free guides to successful publishing from BookBaby Three months' free subscription to Book Award Pro (Essentials tier), so you can find more great contests for your book A free mini-course, "An Introduction to Self-Publishing", at Self-Publishing Made Simple That's what you get just for entering. Here's what you receive if you win: One grand prize winner will receive $10,000 in cash, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $500 account credit from Book Award Pro, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value) The top winner in each category will receive $1,000 in cash, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value), and one free ad in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $175 value) One honorable mention in each category will receive $300 in cashand three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value) We will publish online excerpts from all entries that win a prize, along with critiques from the judges Submit online via Submittable or by mail. Winning Writers is a partner member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, and this contest is recommended by Reedsy. Click to learn more about our contest.   Learn more and submit here   Prefer to enter by mail?   You may mail your entry and $75 fee to Winning Writers, Attn: North Street Book Prize, 351 Pleasant Street Suite B PMB 222, Northampton, MA 01060-3998, USA. Postmark your entry by June 30.

MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER 

 Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered in its third edition by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," "The Frugal Editor" and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow for news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.